One of Iraq's star footballers, Aymen Hussein, was detained and questioned for nearly seven hours upon arriving at Chicago airport with the Iraqi squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to a Reuters report. The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, begins on June 12.
The incident has reportedly sparked concern in Iraq, with a football publication that covers Iraqi team, alleging that Hussein was treated "like a suspect" during the screening process.
Neither the Iraqi Football Association nor Hussein has publicly commented on the incident. However, Hussein appeared to signal that the matter had been resolved by posting an Instagram story showing himself flashing a victory sign after being granted entry into the United States.
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{{/usCountry}}In another story, thanked god for helping him battle all adversaries. he A key figure for Iraq, Hussein scored the decisive goal that secured the nation's qualification for the World Cup finals.
According to an Iraqi official cited by Reuters, US authorities inspected Hussein's phone during the questioning. The official also said that national team photographer Talal Salah was detained for more than 10 hours and ultimately denied entry into the United States.
"National team photographer Talal Salah was held for more than 10 hours, underwent similar phone checks, and was ultimately denied entry into the United States," the official said.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency confirmed that two members of the Iraqi delegation were subjected to additional screening after the team's arrival in Chicago on Friday.
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"Following inspection, one traveler was admitted to the United States. The second traveler, a photographer and NOT a player on the team, was determined to be inadmissible and was denied entry," CBP said in a statement on Saturday.
Iraq are set to make their first World Cup appearance since their debut 40 years ago. They have been drawn in Group I alongside France, Senegal and Norway.
Despite the airport ordeal, fans gathered in the early hours of the morning to welcome the Iraqi squad in Chicago, waving flags and posing for photos with players less than a week before the tournament kicks off.
(With inputs from AFP)